Pump Up Music: Soul Asylum -- "Somebody to Shove"
The Big Picture: The New Orleans Hornets season has been derailed mostly by Chris Paul's injury troubles, but also partly because they reached a critical point where they just don't have meaningful depth behind their superstar. David West is becoming a polarizing figure because he, more than anyone else on the Hornets, seems to benefit from being Paul's teammate on offense and then doesn't affect games positively much on defense. Emeka Okafor is who he is, an exceptional defensive presence at times, merely very good the rest of the time, and an average center on offense. After them, though, the drop in talent is sharp. Darius Songaila has over 1300 minutes? Really?
They're good enough to be playoff contenders in the East, but they're also the kind of team the Bobcats should bury with the depth on their second unit.
Key to Victory: Boris Diaw is coming off a huge game against the Hawks. Let's see how he handles West's offense and if he can make New Orleans pay when Charlotte runs the offense through him in the high post.
Detail That May Interest .08% of You: Marcus Thornton, the Hornets' second round pick out of LSU this year, is fourth among all draftees this season in points per game.